Letter-file or the like.



W. A. COOKE, JR.

LETTER FILE OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26. 1915.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

INVENTOR %/ML W B A itorneys JMW m m w WITNESSES WILLIAM A. COOKIE, JR., 035 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

LETTER-FILE OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. MB, 191?.

Application filed April 26, 1915. Serial No. 24,092.

' bendable, are attached to one of the covers and are received in openings provided in a guard plate secured to the other cover, and when they are bent down means are provided for holding the bent ends of the prongs in position against accidental displacement. My invention aims to provide improved means for holding the bent ends of the prongs in position, and the means provided by me likewise furnish stops to prevent lateral or sidewise movement of the bent ends of the prongs.

Tn carrying the above object into eflect, my invention consists in providing a slide which is mounted to slide in ways in the guard, and which is adapted. to slide over the bent end of the prongs and to securely hold the same in place. When a plurality of prongs are employed, and two are usual, two slides are made use of. The invention also consists in providing the slides with fingerpieces by which they may both be moved at the same time.

A desirable form in which my invention maybe embodied is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fi ure 1 is a plan View, partly broken, of

an open binder illustrating my invention,

one of the slides being open and one closed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22, Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

My invention is illustrated a .applied to a file of the type set forth in the Tow Patents, Nos. 849,774 and 8%),836, which are of the type above referred to and are provided with two covers A, B, having a back C which is folded at its middle, as shown at a, to provide what is in effect a hinge for the covers. The prongs D, E, are suitably at tached to the lower cover, preferably by being carried in a guard F which is mounted on a flap G secured to such cover. The upper cover A is provided with a corresponding flap H, and upon this flap is suitably mounted a guard T. The guard T has openings J, K, for receiving the prongs D, E, and these openings are preferably formed as slots in the edge of the guard for the more convenient entrance of the prongs. The foregoing, together with a means for holding the prongs in position when bent, comprises the type of binder illustrated in the said Dow patents, to which my invention may be applied.

According to my invention, the respective prongs D, E, or one of them only, if only one prong is used, are held in place after being bent down by means of longitudinal sliding plates L, M. These plates are pref- V erably mounted to slide beneath lugs which are situated on each side of the respective openings J, K, through which the prongs pass. The lugs are illustrated as being the same for both slides, but oppositely arranged, and are lettered N, N N N Lugs N and N are inside of the openings J, and lugs N and N are outside, and these lugs together provide ways in which the slides are longitudinally movable. In addition, the lugs N N provide stops for preventing lateral movement of the prongs when bent to place. Upon one of the lugs, as for instance upon lug N is an inwardly projecting stop 0. The slides may each be provided with finger-pieces P, and these fingerpieces, when'the slide is moved forward to operative position over the bent end of the prongs, engage against the stop 0 and prevent the forward movement of the slide, so that the slide will not move out of the lugs in that direction. The finger-pieces P, with which each slide is provided, are on the adjacent or nearest ends of the respective slides. Therefore, as the slides are moved toward one another in the closing movement, the said finger-pieces provide stops for limiting the inward movement of the slides and prevent their passing out of the ways in that direction.

The prongs D, E, are usually made in one piece, the middle part of which passes beneath the flap G and is held in place by the guard F. The guard I is usually secured upon its flap H, as shown, by eyelets Q. The slides may, if desired, be provided on the end opposite the finger'pieces l with other finger-pieces P It will be seen that by the aid of the respective finger-pieces P, P the two. slides may be moved together by the fingers of one hand in either direction.

I have illustrated, in the accompanying drawings, the most desirable form of constructing my invention now known to ine,

'but modifications thereof may be made within the limits of the appended claims. 7

lVhat I claim is 1. A binder or file for sheets of paper and the like having covers, flexible prongs attached to one cover, a guard secured to the other cover having openings for'said prongs,

projections on said guard extending toward each other and providing ways, a pair of slides mounted in said ways and adapted, when moved in opposite directions, to respectively cover or uncover the bent ends of said prongs, each slide having finger-pieces at both ends whereby the said slides are adapted to be moved to open or closed position together by one hand.

2. A file or binder for sheets of paper an the like, comprisinga flexible prong, a guard having an open slot adapted to receive said prong, and lugs struck up from the face of said guard, said lugs serving as stops for preventing lateral displacement of the prong when the prong is bent down on said guard, a slide adapted to be moved over said prong when said prong is bent down on said guard,

saidlugs also serving as a slideway for said slide.

3. A. file or binder for sheets of paper and the like, comprising a flexible prong, a guard having an open slot adapted to receive said .prong, and lugs struck up from the face of sa d guard, said lugs serving as stops for preventing lateral displacement of the prong when the prong is bent down on said guard, a slide adapted to be moved over said prong when said prong is bent down on said guard, said lugs N, N and said first mentioned lugs serving as a slideway for said slide, and lugs N, N struck up from the face of said guard, one of said lugs having a projection O adapted to limit movement of said slide.

4:. A file or binder for sheets of paper and the like, comprising a flexible prong, a guard formed of sheet material bent over to U- shap'e, said guard having an open slot adapted to receive said prong, and lugs struck up from the face of said guard, said lugs serving as stops for preventing lateral displace' ment of the prong when the prong is bent down on said guard, a slide adapted to be moved over said prong when said prong is bent down on said guard, said lugs also serving as a slideway for said slide.

Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

7 WILLIAM A. COOKE, JR.

Witnesses:

A. T. GARLAND, M. I. MIDDLETON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

